In California, Big Tobacco spends 10 times as much marketing tobacco as the state spends on tobacco prevention, resulting in more than 30,000 kids starting to smoke each year. In response to this ongoing challenge, the American Lung American in California founded the Center for Tobacco Policy & Organizing in 2002 to ensure local advocates across California have the skills, resources and information to be successful in protecting their neighbors and communities from the harmful effects of tobacco use.